


Step by Step Through Fear

by JadeDove



Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Senator!reader - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:21:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25737979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadeDove/pseuds/JadeDove
Summary: Everything changes when the reader, a senator of the galactic republic, discovers that she’s force sensitive after an assassination attempt. Obi Wan Kenobi witnesses it, and offers to train her in the basics of the Force.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi/Reader
Comments: 4
Kudos: 44





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my new Obi Wan Kenobi series! Get ready for mind numbing fluff and a sprinkle of angst. I'm very proud of this one, and I hope you enjoy it. Please leave a kudos if you do!

The moment was brief, and yet it changed everything.

Your eyes had begun to burn from staring at the quivering blaster shot. The only sound was the deep reverberations of the force and your heavy, shaking breath. The man whom you’d risked your life for scrambled up, taking out the figure behind the gun before carefully stepping over to you. 

He held up his hands in the cautious way one does when approaching a frightened animal. “Senator, you can let go,” he whispered, and it was as if those were the only words holding you together. 

Your exhale came out as more of a sob. The blaster shot resumed its path, leaving a scorch mark in the Coruscanti marble floor of your quarters. The only thing keeping you from crumbling into panic was Obi Wan’s hands gripping your upper arms. You thought you felt him soothingly tracing small circles into your shoulder, but you shook your head slightly to better focus on the situation at hand.

“Where did they come from, t-the assassin?” you spluttered as Obi Wan approached the body. He knelt by the body and glanced at the window, a look of suspicion painted on his face.

“I don’t recognize him. Must be working on his own, but we can’t be sure. I’ll meet with the council.” he said. A lump was forming in your throat as you chewed your lip, unable to tear your eyes away from the new lifeless decoration on the ground. Footsteps tapped across the marble closer to you. Obi Wan appeared in your tear-blurred vision, brows knit in concern. You had trouble meeting his eyes. You felt ashamed for showing weakness and fear of death in front of such a practiced and skilled warrior. Not only that, but a handsome warrior you’d grown fond of over the past months you’d been on Coruscant.

“Senator?” The world snapped back into your brain. After taking a deep breath into your aching lungs, you met his gaze. “The council will make sure that you’re safe. I will make sure that you’re safe,” he half-whispered. You nodded, staying silent out of the fear that your voice might crack and then the lid would be lifted off your terror.

You didn’t want someone so strong to see you so pathetically weak. 

Obi Wan straightened as a few clones entered. “Increase security measures around her room. Don’t miss a corner, window, or ,” he ordered. As the clones exited, Obi Wan trailed behind, but not before sparing you one last reassuring look. A smile managed its way onto your face and you jutted your chin out to show an illusion of bravery. Although, as soon as the pair of doors closed, your knees buckled and you hit the floor harshly. 

This was never part of your plan. You’d come from a struggling planet, Nuca, in hopes of providing resources and protection for your people, who had been struggling with invasive Seperatist forces for many moons. It had taken a year for you to gain any kind of respect from many fellow senators simply because you came from a world that wasn’t nearly as gaudy as the rest of them. Homesickness had simmered in you during the first month. Coruscant bore no semblance to Nuca’s tropical forests and low-lying volcanoes dusted with brilliant wildflowers. Instead, you were cornered by far too many shades of beige. You’d tried to grow a few of Nuca’s native plants in your quarters, but the change of climate caused them to wilt and crumble.

You hoped it wasn’t an omen.

Now your world had been thrown off-kilter. The Force was never something you’d concerned yourself with. You’d always believed it was meant for the Jedi and the Sith, a weapon wielded only by a chosen group. Senatorial duties had taken up so much of your day-to-day life that the Force and its influence almost never reached you. The only thing that exposed you to the mysteries of the Force was the Jedi Order. You’d become interested in one of their members recently. More specifically, it was the one that had touched your shoulder and looked at you with borderline-ardent affection just moments earlier. 

Obi Wan had strolled onto your path just a few months ago. You’d been on more diplomatic off-world missions recently, which meant you were often flanked by a Jedi, but you definitely weren’t bothered. You weren’t bothered when you were accompanied by Obi Wan, at least. Missions and high-stress visits became less stressful in his presence. His clever humor and sarcasm almost caused a break in your composure numerous times, but you weren’t angry. Upon arriving, you’d usually be nervous, but his calm demeanor helped you take a deep breath and negotiate. His presence helped you find your footing. 

Sometimes he would come dangerously close to catching you staring at him. Whether it was talking to a member of the council or standing in a LAAT/i, you couldn’t help but focus on him in all his mystery. He was commanding yet gentle, always making sure that you were comfortable although letting you handle tense conversations. Perhaps that’s what drew you to him: his trust in your abilities to negotiate. It was high, silent praise coming from ‘The Negotiator.’

Your head fell back as you stared wordlessly at the ceiling. There wasn’t time to reminisce, to hide away from your discovery. For now, it would have to be set aside. You had a meeting to get to. Even if an entire squadron of clones had to drag you out for your own safety, you had to at least show up. It was common courtesy. 

After a year as a senator in the Galactic Republic, you’d learned to keep your chin up in the winding hallways of the senate building. Despite the blood pounding in your head and the sweat on your palms, the mask of determination on your face remained intact. 

Once you entered the sunlit meeting room, the chatter of the other senators fell quiet. You set your jaw and locked eyes with a fellow senator, one whom you held a tremendous amount of respect for: Padmé Amidala. 

“Senators, good afternoon. It seems the party has already begun without me. Please, continue,” you said, attempting to ease the tension. You really just wanted to move on from the earlier incident. It seemed that your colleagues didn’t share your eagerness, however. 

Padmé uttered your name softly before she stood, giving you a pitying look. “Take the rest of the day. After the attempt on your life, you’re not in the mindset to focus on diplomacy.” She looked around at her fellow senators. “No one would.”

Her resolve nearly angered you. She was one of the strongest people you’d ever met, and somehow it still shocked you when she would stand her ground. “Senator Amidala, I’m perfectly alright. I am uninjured and ready to resume my duties,” you declared, breaking her gaze and sitting in your chair. You made sure to keep your back straight. Any sign of weakness after an assassination attempt would mean an immediate exile to your quarters, likely for the rest of the week. 

Luckily, she backed off, lowering into her seat and squaring her shoulders. The room’s tension sank back into nothingness and you exhaled quietly. 

As the meeting inched along past the two hour mark, you became lost in your own thoughts. Thoughts of your home ricocheted in your mind until suddenly, the sound of breaking glass lurched you back into the room. Every pair of eyes in the room locked on you as you felt your heart struggling to slip past your ribs. Then you noticed that you were no longer sitting, your hands in fists on the tabletop. You hesitated, though, when you glimpsed confusion in the gazes of your colleagues. 

On the far end of the table, one of the newer senators had dropped whatever cocktail glass they were sipping from. You furiously blinked away incoming tears, shaking your head.

It sounded exactly like the window just a few hours ago. You could’ve sworn…

“Excuse me for a moment,” you mumbled, nearly knocking your chair to the floor as you stumbled out of the room. Your ears rang as the hallway blurred in front of your eyes. Someone could help, you knew that. All you needed to do was find that person. That task was becoming more difficult by the second, especially because you had no idea where the person or their quarters were located. 

With no clue what your body was reacting to, you swallowed and straightened to the best of your ability. Salvation finally offered you a merciful hand when you turned the corner. 

Your favorite Jedi was a ways in front of you, practically gliding down the hallway, and beamed upon spotting you. His pace quickened, however, when his eyes flit over your exhausted frame. At last, it felt like the world gave you permission to let go. You slumped against the wall, deflated. 

Obi Wan’s hands on your arms were enough to coax your gaze to his concerned expression. The sound of your name falling from his lips felt like it was worlds away. Something wet on your cheek pulled you partially out of your daze. You were crying. The tear vanished soon after its presence was known, a calloused thumb brushing it away. 

Before you knew it, he was leading you through the hallways, a hand on the small of your back. Other figures strolling through the halls stared at the Jedi half-carrying a senator. Once you arrived at your quarters, he helped you sit on a simple chair by your desk with a surprising amount of gentleness. The wood was rough under your fists while he sat beside you. 

“You’re safe, no one is going to hurt you here,” Obi Wan whispered. You managed to nod and take another deep breath. 

“Someone broke a glass and I thought...it sounded just like-” you babbled. Obi Wan nodded, having put the pieces together. “I hate this,” you mumbled. “I don’t want to feel so weak. It feels like I’m not in control, that my life isn’t in my own hands. And now I find out that I can use the Force. Maker, it has been a long day.” The hand you were dragging down your face was plucked away and grasped by Obi Wan. A blush crept over your cheeks as you peered over at him. He avoided your eyes, focused instead on his hand encasing yours. 

“The universe is never going to be safe for people like you,” he said. When you raised a brow and waited for him to elaborate, he sighed and finally locked eyes with you. “You’re trying to make things better for your people. There are always going to be people who want to snuff out the light you’ve brought here, to the Republic.” His soft smile lit what felt like a million candles in your chest. 

“I represent Nuca in everything I do, in everything that the public and my colleagues see. I’ve been here for a blink of an eye compared to other senators. If I slip up even once, it could spell disaster. I can’t afford to be seen as a coward, even if I am.” More tears were forming in your eyes. Everything that you’ve worked for was crumbling around you. You could feel your heart start to pound again. 

“I don’t see a coward. You’re struggling, yes, but being frightened does not make you a coward,” Obi Wan firmly declared. You smiled at him. It wasn’t faked this time, you truly valued his opinion. He took a shaky breath. “If I taught you how to use the Force...would you think more highly of yourself?”

You blinked. He wanted to teach you? “General Kenobi, I doubt you have time to-”

“Midnight tonight in the training arena at the temple,” he blurted, a grin quickly forming on his bearded face. You couldn’t help but smile at his eagerness. Perhaps he was right. Additionally, you’d get to spend some time with him. You’d come to realize that he was quite easy on the eyes, to say the least.

“Alright,” you agreed. His boots softly tapped on the marble floor as he traipsed to the exit. He gave you the same smile as he did the last time he left, and slipped out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You train with Obi and then drag him to a market. Pining ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for waiting, folks! Hope you like this chapter.

Of course the rest of your afternoon had to go by as slowly as possible. Padmé knocked on your door only a few moments after Obi Wan slipped out. She insisted that you relieve your duties temporarily, at least until the council believed that whomever was out for your blood was no longer a threat. You agreed. It was difficult not to; Senator Amidala was not known to take no for an answer when it came to aiding the people she cared about. 

So, you spent your time sifting through paperwork, signing documents, and attempting to lift different small objects with the Force. The only success you managed was the tip of a pen hovering about an inch off of your desk. Obi Wan would be so proud, you snarked to yourself. 

Intrusive doubts weaved thick webs in your mind as hours ticked by. One of the most formidable Jedi in the entire Order agreed to train you, a senator whose name was always on the tip of someone else’s tongue but never quite remembered. What if you were weak with the Force? What if he was disappointed in your abilities? How could you look him in the eye after that, knowing you failed him? These and many other questions accompanied you on your stealthy journey to the Jedi Temple. 

Your hood ruffled in the midnight breeze when you entered the Temple. You were tempted to take off the hood but decided against it; you had no idea who roamed the halls of the Temple in the dead of night. 

“You made it.”

Well, maybe one idea. 

Mirth was clear in your eyes when you turned to see Obi Wan leaning on a pillar beside you. “Surprised?” you teased. He shrugged and began walking down the hallway, his cloak billowing behind him. After jogging to catch up with his long strides, a weight settled upon your tongue. You’d never had problems speaking to others before. Why now? 

It seemed that Obi Wan sensed your nerves because he nudged you with his shoulder. “No need to be scared. Today is just for the basics, whatever happens, happens.” You nodded but couldn’t help the sinking disappointment, which showed in your small pout. “What’s wrong?”

“Sort of wanted you to show me one of your fancy Jedi mind tricks.” you couldn’t help the giggle that built up in your chest at his deadpan expression and exasperated sigh. “Can you blame me? The Force is mysterious. In a way, so is the Jedi Order. I’d like to see what others do not, General, and perhaps learn it, too.” Now he was surprised. You could tell from his wide eyes and subtle smile that he wore: he was impressed. 

“I trust you won’t use what I teach you for your own personal gain?” Obi Wan questioned. You gave him a look that seemed to say ‘do you really think that low of me?’ and he chuckled. You finally arrived at a set of towering bronze doors and the nervous tug in your stomach returned. This was what you’d been waiting for. He pushed the doors open.

In front of you was a large training area, equipped with the typical sparring mats and such. You followed Obi Wan to the far side of the room. Thin pillows were evenly placed around one large circle in the middle. You suspected it was for meditation. Your breath was snatched away, though, when your eyes trailed up to the ceiling.

A dense blanket of stars swam under the dome ceiling, rotating gradually around a larger star in the center. Violet clouds were strung between the twinkling lights, surrounded by the inky black ceiling. You’d seen the night sky on your home planet, unobstructed by artificial light, but this was different. You felt as if you could reach out and hold one of the stars in the palm of your hand. 

You cleared your throat and turned back to Obi Wan, who was smiling at your awed expression. “How did you ever get used to that?” you asked breathlessly. “You don’t,” he replied. “Sit.” 

You sat across from him on the edge of the large circle, fidgeting a little. When he sat down in front of you his knees touched yours and your heart twirled. His determined stare caught you off guard. “You wanted to see a fancy mind trick. This is one of them,” he explained. “I’m going to enter your mind, although it isn’t forced and I need your consent to do so. I will only be able to see memories and only memories you allow me to access. When I’m inside, imagine doors that open to reveal a memory. Open one door that you are alright with me entering and seeing the memory instead. Do you understand?” You nodded, momentarily stunned. He was very thorough in his explanation and you thought it was kind of him to consider whether or not you were comfortable with him strolling through your mind. 

Well, it was now or never. You steeled yourself in place, raising your posture, and truly embodied the image you’d created for yourself as a senator: strong, composed, and prepared. It was only when Obi Wan lifted his fingers to your temple that your posture faltered. It felt like he was pushing up against some sort of barrier that stood in your consciousness, though you had no idea how it got there. 

“It seems you’ve already protected yourself against attacks on your mind, Senator,” he mused. You felt a flush of embarrassment crawl up your cheeks. “I don’t know why that’s there...how do I let you in?” you asked. “Relax,” he purred, sending a jolt of something up your spine, something that you had never felt before. You then followed his order, imagining the wall melting away like a thin sheet of ice. 

Abruptly pulled under the waters of the Force, you gasped. A wave of reassurance tugged you back to the surface, courtesy of Obi Wan. You had a bird’s-eye view of Obi Wan walking amongst a hall of white doors. When he spoke, it was into your mind instead of out of his mouth. “I cannot go through a closed door. Open one that you’re comfortable sharing,” he instructed, glancing at his surroundings. After a moment of concentration, you picked a memory and visualized a door creaking open. Before you knew it, he was walking through.

The Jedi smiled gently when he walked onto the tall grasses of Nuca. The soil was soft beneath his boots and tropical flowers grew in bunches of fuchsia and teal on the side of the volcano. Giggles floated by his ears and he turned, spotting a child bounding down the volcano at full speed. 

Watching Obi’s face glow with happiness at one of your fondest memories set off a fountain of sparks inside of you. No, scratch that. The feeling was akin to warm honey dripping slowly but exquisitely into your soul. 

You watched as your child-self began to roll down the flowering hill, laughing as dirt and grime coated your hair and clothing. “You can bring yourself here, you know. Just imagine jumping down into the grass,” Obi said, somehow looking straight at you despite your lack of a corporeal form. As soon as you envisioned your legs landing in the soil, you materialized beside him. 

“Your memories are some of the most vivid I’ve ever experienced. How often do you relive this?” he asked, inhaling deeply. You answered truthfully: “At least once a week, if not more. This is one of my most treasured memories of my childhood, before the Separatists invaded…” you trailed off, a bitter taste on your tongue at the thought. He sent you another push of comfort through the force, which seeped into your bones and relaxed you. The two of you drank in the nearly-overpowering scent of wildflowers and seawater until you heard a quiet fizzling behind you. 

A door, worn and wooden, had appeared in the middle of the grass. Intrigued, you walked towards it. Obi Wan said nothing behind you as you approached the mysterious entrance. When you turned the handle and entered, you were suddenly back in the Jedi Temple, although you knew not where. Looking around, you gathered that you were in someone’s quarters. 

Muffled crying drew you across the room to the corner by the bedside table. A crumpled form draped in wrinkled Padawan robes was quivering in that corner. Shadows bathed the room and the night hung quietly in the sky as you squinted, attempting to make out the identity of the person. When a door opened behind you, you kept your focus on the figure, whose face was then revealed, tear-stained and heaving with sobs. 

Your heart plunged violently into your stomach when you saw the youthful face of Obi Wan Kenobi. 

As if someone flicked a switch, your vision went black. Any air in your lungs was siphoned out in an instant and you gasped in vain. You tried to grope for something or someone to hold onto, you discovered that you couldn’t move and it didn’t even feel like you had limbs. A harsh buzzing sound grew louder and louder in your head. When you thought your eardrums would rupture and your lungs would give out, you were thrown back into the training arena, clawing at your throat on the ground. 

When you finally regained oxygen in your throbbing lungs, you weakly turned to see Obi Wan gawking at you. “You...weren’t supposed to see that. H-How did you see that?” he muttered, frozen a few feet away from you and the position he was originally in. Slowly, you sat up, resting your forearms on your knees and gazing at him, trying to decipher how best to tell him ‘a door appeared and you didn’t exactly say not to walk through it so I walked through it.’

What you were most worried about though, was what you saw. What happened to him? You were searching for answers while trying not to aggravate whatever dormant trauma you might’ve awakened in Kenobi. So, you waited. You waited for him to reach out to you, whether it was physically or verbally. The memory was already revealed in all of its anguish, thanks to you, he just needed to address it. Pushing him to tell you something he most likely kept to himself for years was the last thing you wanted to do. 

Hurting him was the last thing you wanted to do, and yet here you were. 

“It was after my master’s funeral,” Obi Wan said softly, almost whispering. You stood and his eyes trailed your form warily as you walked to sit beside him. Sadness was still raw in his eyes, so you didn’t pry, waiting. “I watched him die at the hands of a Sith,” he mumbled through clenched teeth. You were so used to seeing him calm and put together that the seething, contained anger in his voice scared you. “I-”

He was quieted by your hand on his shoulder. You gave him a reassuring look and squeezed his shoulder. “You don’t have to explain if you don’t want to, Obi.” To your surprise, a blush materialized on his cheeks as he stared at you. You leaned slightly away from him for a moment, trying to discover what you said wrong. It hit you: that was the first time you’d ever called him by his first name. His blush infected your face as well, resulting in an awkward silence that clogged the air between you. 

Standing and clearing his throat, Obi Wan held out a hand to help you up and you accepted. You both had an unspoken agreement in that moment to focus on something else. For the rest of the night he walked you through basic movements, both of you trying to bury the awkwardness of earlier. You suggested having a session at the same time, same day, once a week, and he agreed enthusiastically. When you left for the Senate Building, however, guilt sank heavy in the pit of your stomach. You had to make it up to him somehow, or risk breaking the bond the two of you had woven.

\------

Days rolled by as you attempted to keep yourself occupied until your next training session with Obi Wan, or at least until the council deemed it safe for you to return to your duties. Four days into your forced vacation, a knock beckoned you away from your book. You brushed off your slightly wrinkled clothes and opened the door to be met with the face of the very Jedi you were dying to see. Both excitement and lingering guilt from your training session bubbled in your chest and you smiled.

“General Kenobi, what can I do for you?” you asked smoothly, using what you liked to call your ‘senator voice.’ He peeked over your shoulder to ask if he could enter and you swiftly moved aside. His cloak rippled behind him as he entered and you shut the door. “Is something wrong?” you wondered aloud. You prayed that he wasn’t here to lecture you about the breach of his privacy or even cut you off from meeting with him altogether. 

The tension in your every muscle slipped away when he turned to you and spoke. “The council has assigned me to be your guard until the assassin and whatever organization might be behind the attack on your life is taken care of.” You couldn’t help the grin that spread across your face, and he mirrored you with a soft smile. The prospect of spending more time with him caused your excitement to swell. “Of course, General. I am happy to oblige with anything the council deems is necessary.” Obi Wan nodded and looked around at your quarters. They weren’t exactly spotless after spending most of four days in them. You squirmed in place before you remembered something and surged forwards towards Obi Wan. 

“Does that mean I get to go out? Can I leave my quarters and go out into Coruscant? As long as you’re with me, of course,” you rambled, gaze darting between his eyes to try and draw out an answer. His face scrunched up in hesitation. It was rather cute. 

“Technically, yes, but it isn’t recommended…” he trailed off, witnessing your victorious expression and watching as you sped to your closet to pull out a heavy cloak. His confused face caused you to halt in the middle of your routine.

“There’s a market going on that only happens once every decade. It’s on the outskirts of the Uscru District, a bit hidden away. I know Uscuru isn’t the friendliest place but the market doesn’t go fully into the district. You can accompany me so I’m safe,” you explained. Wearing a skeptical expression, Obi Wan was silent as he stared at your hopeful eyes. You kept up the innocent act for a moment longer before he finally gave in. “Alright, we’ll go. Always stay close to me. Try not to wander off. I don’t need any more grey hairs,” he snarked playfully, opening the door for you. You took a deep breath and turned to him before walking out. “I think a few grey hairs are handsome. It shows maturity, don’t you think, General?” you asked. 

The blush that bloomed on his cheeks and his wide blue eyes was an image you wouldn’t soon forget.

When the two of you arrived at the market, you gasped in wonder. A diverse crowd of Coruscanti citizens mingled and shopped in a strangely well-lit, wide alleyway. Paper lanterns were strung along the top of the alley, revealing stalls packed in amongst one another. You nearly tripped when you scrambled out of the speeder Obi Wan pilotted, snatching his hand and dragging him along with you. His protests were drowned out by the chatter of customers and your pounding heart. 

Before you could fully immerse yourself in the market, Obi Wan grabbed you by the shoulders and spun you around to face his stern glare. You withered a little under his gaze and avoided his eyes. It was your turn to blush when he took your hood and placed it over your head, his thumbs brushing your cheeks. “Go on,” he whispered, smiling at your eagerness. You spun back around but not before grabbing his hand again and yanking him along with you (his yelp of surprise made you laugh). 

The goods on display in the market immediately took your breath away. One stall sold spherical glass vases stuffed to the brim with fruits and flowers, another offered vivid candles that seemed to melt up instead of down. You hadn’t seen such bright colors since you left home. Exotic scents and sights seemed to fill every crevasse of the market, bringing Nuca and its brilliant scenery back to you. Every attendee was different, some of them you’d never seen before. You wondered if this market wasn’t just renowned within Coruscant but the entire galaxy. You began to feel very small and you slowed down, breathing heavily. 

Someone squeezing your hand tugged you back to reality. You didn’t realize that you never let go of Obi Wan’s hand. He sent a familiar push of reassurance through the Force and you squeezed his hand back. “See anything you like?” you asked, trying to change the subject. He shook his head. “Jedi cannot indulge in material pleasures,” he answered, to which you rolled your eyes. “Just because you can’t indulge in something doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy its existence all the same.” He nodded in surrender, continuing to meander through the throng of customers.

After strolling through the market for a while, you stumbled upon a stall selling vibrant paintings. You slowed to look at each of the paintings, marvelling at the patient craftsmanship. Obi Wan saw your interest and walked you to the stall. The owner, an elderly human woman, lit up when she spotted the two of you approaching. While Obi asked about her art and how she became so skilled, your eyes stopped at one painting. It was a mountain dotted with dew-kissed grasses and blooming flowers. It was Nuca. 

“Do you like that one, dear?” the woman asked. “I can’t blame you. It’s one of my favorites. The colors on Nuca are so bright. Quite suitable to paint.” You nodded, a deep sadness swallowing you whole. Homesickness hadn’t sunk its claws this deep into you since the flowers you brought from Nuca died. There was no way Obi Wan hadn’t sensed your shift in mood, you knew that, though you were still surprised when he turned you away from the booth and bid farewell to the merchant. 

“What are you planning, General?” you asked, quirking a brow at him. He avoided your gaze but offered you a smirk. “You were so happy before. I’m not going to let some painting ruin your outing,” he replied. His thoughtfulness lifted your mood through the rest of your visit to the market. Although you didn’t purchase anything, you learned more about Kenobi’s taste in ‘material goods.’ 

Before you knew it, he was leading you back to your quarters. You’d never admit it, but you felt like a teenager again, a flower in your hand and your date walking you to the door of your house. Except this time he held your cloak and you fussed with your clothing. Close enough. 

Both of you saw a blush on the face of the other as you stopped in front of the door to your quarters. Obi Wan placed your cloak in your hands and you thanked him. You wanted to say something but the words faded in your lungs when he placed a quick kiss on your hand. When he turned away, you watched him go with a longing in your soul you could never explain. 

That longing had made a home in his soul, too.


End file.
